Fluoroolefins are often polymerized in the presence of either fluorocarbon or chlorofluorocarbon solvents. Use of these solvents may be less desirable in the near future because of their potential for environmental damage as greenhouse gases and ozone depleters. New solvents are needed that do not contain chlorine and are reactive enough to degrade rapidly in the atmosphere, yet stable enough not to interfere with radical fluoroolefin polymerization. The perfluoroalkyl sulfides disclosed herein appear to meet the reactivity criterion in that they degrade in UV light and air yet can usefully survive the peroxide initiators commonly used in fluorolefin polymerization.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,803 at column 6, lines 39-42 describes octafluoro-1,4-dithiane and octafluorothiolane as used for aerosol solvents. That disclosure does not mention the use of these solvents in fluoromonomer polymerization or initiator activation.